Sticks and Stones
by Kaigun-Sencho
Summary: Ever wanted to have a little view back into the past? Well...here's your chance! Pairing: SmokerxHina


**Sticks and stones**

The silent fizzling sound of the candle's flame disturbed the silence in the room. A slight breeze went through the half open window and let it dance with it's flow. The young cadet was lying on her hammock and read her latest book. Actually her mind was fixed on something else. The words only flew past her eyes without causing any reaction in her mind.

"…they should've been back since over six hours….", went through her head while she browsed. Sharply she pulled the air in when the edges of the book cut her finger.

Absent-minded she looked at the wound. The loud ringing bell of the harbour interrupted her thoughts. Her eyes widened in surprise before she quickly placed the book on the ground and shifted herself out of the hammock. When reaching the corridor most of the other cadets were already on the way to the harbour. As quick as her feet could carry her she ran out of the building and down to the beach. The others already stood in front of the incoming ship and looked at it in a shock. It was a wonder that it could still reach the harbour. The masts were broken, sails were nowhere seen except of some ripped things hanging down and the hull was filled with holes. "OUT OF THE WAY AND GET THE FUCKING AMBULANCE CREW!" The superiors tried to shift the cadets aside so the crew could leave the ship properly. Most of them couldn't walk back on their own so they needed a bunch of barrows for all the wounded ones. Meanwhile the young cadet managed it to get to the front row so she could see the leaving crew. Strained she watched every single one that left the ship. With every passing second she got more and more nervous. "How much have we lost?", one of the superiors asked a leading crew member. "…more than you want…."  
Hearing that answer she started to shiver slightly. The imagination was far away from worse.

The woman's view wandered back to the ship as the superiors ordered them to go back into their rooms. "…damnit…..not now….not as long…" Her thought got interrupted by a iron sound hitting the wooden planks of the ship. The view let her bite her lip in a slight shock. Never had she expected that this might happen but the worst always seem to choose the unexpected moments. One of the ambulance crew headed upwards to one of the last cadets to help but with a slight wag he pushed himself up on his weapon and left the ship on his own. It seemed to resemble his condition since even the jitte carried heavy cuts that told from a hard battle. When she finally caught herself again she wanted to run over to them but one of the superiors stood in her way. "What do you believe you are doing Miss Hina?", he asked sharply. She growled silently when she ran past him and to her comrade.

Just in time as it seemed since he nearly stumbled and fell if she wouldn't have held him on his shoulder. His tired gaze fell on her in a slight surprise. With a swift move she placed his arm over her shoulders and supported him. "….didn't you listen what I just said?",

Their superior blocked the way and looked at her in anger. "……you rather see me die than her leaving now…", the wounded cadet mumbled. "You are not in the position to tell me anything Smoker and you know that!" "…maybe I am not but I think my condition is…:", he silently answered while looking at the ground with half closed eyes. "You rather watch him die here than letting me help!", Hina hissed at him angrily. Before their superior could answer one of the ambulance crew just took both and lead them to the ward. This night was already half over and still it was clear that it even the last hours will get very long and difficult.

The first sunbeams hit the bloodstained blanket when she slowly opened her eyes. Tired she blinked some times before yawning and stretching.

"….how could I fall asleep….", she silently mumbled. "……well…..good question….", a silent voice answered. Hina looked up in surprise seeing her comrade also awake and looking at her slightly amused. "….don't get too cocky on it…" The female cadet shifted herself back in the chair and examined him. "……..you're at least okay now?"

His look went away to the window. After some time a slight sigh escaped him. "…..depends….", he silently answered. She kept her answer for herself and stood up. Wordless she left the room and headed for the classrooms. Smoker didn't even pay her a last view. He couldn't even be happy about the fact that he survived that order. Disappointment of himself was all that his mind worried about right now.

Hina meanwhile already was in the classroom. Actually the teachers words didn't really reach her but she just needed that distraction. Too much went through her head.

After approximately an hour the door swung open. The teacher looked in surprise when he noticed who entered the room. "…..strange….you are allowed to stay in the ward cause of your condition and you still come her on your own?" "……well….I would miss your sweet voice when I miss another one of your lessons!", the cadet mumbled under the laughter of the others while taking place. "…not funny Smoker. You just beg for running your lungs out and that even in your condition." He just shrugged and crossed his arms on the table while placing his head on them. Some time passed by until one of his classmates mentioned the accident yesterday. Slowly he opened his eyes halfway and listened to his words.

"…but….why could that happen?", was the last question. The teacher turned to the cadets and sighed. "Why? Cause a bunch of you is just too cocky and overestimate themselves. If they'd just use the last pieces of brain that is left until now they'd see that they are far away from surviving on the sea. I just can't wait until brats like them blow up our headquarters."

"…….maybe the so called "justice-focussed" dipshits there would finally move their ass out of their chair once if this happens…" The whole classroom looked at Smoker in shock. His teacher's face turned slowly red out of anger when he walked over to him. "…You are the last one to TALK ABOUT THAT! YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE BASTARDS THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FACT THAT WE LOST A SHIP!"

The cadet shifted himself up and stood in front of his teacher. Even now his size was nearly higher than of his far older superior. "..the ship? All you worry about is the ship? What about the others that didn't survive huh? GODDAMNIT I WATCHED MY COMRADES DIE CAUSE I COULDN'T HELP THEM!" The teacher actually backed away one step before grinning at him in a weird way. "…well….youngster…seems like you are responsible for their death too…." Hina bit on her lip. She could already imagine how this would end.

"…what now? Speechless brat?" The teacher definitely believed in his safety but not this time. He pushed the limit definitely too far. His pupil glared at him in pure rage before he hit him against his desk with a single hard punch. He fought hard with himself. Even if he knew that he is not responsible for their death, it was too much to hear that somebody else even thought about that. He didn't even wait for the teacher's reaction so he left the room and closed the door with a banging sound. Hina jumped up quickly and started a try to follow him.

"If you leave now Miss I can promise you that I will punish you both the same way no matter if it is your fault or not!" "…..Sir….to be honest….I DON'T GIVE A FUCK!", she answered under a growl before heading out of the room. It didn't take her long until she reached her still raging comrade. She stopped him by standing in his way. "……come on….you know it is not your fault!" Smoker looked at her in a mix of pure hatred and pain. ",…what do you want to hear from me? That I just forget all that happened?" "No but at least keep to the facts. You are only a cadet. The superiors are responsible for it!" "..only a cadet huh?", he answered ironically. "…..you weren't ready for it why don't you finally admit!"

His gaze went cold when hearing her last words. "……..you know what? NOBODY WAS! THE CAPTAIN ALSO DIED IN BATTLE SO DON'T TELL ME WHAT I CAN DO AND WHAT NOT!" He could barely hold back his anger when he turned away and walked off from the school ground. With a deep sigh Hina stood back and watched him leave. The superiors told them hardly any facts about what happened exactly but hearing that definitely showed her more about the accident than she had expected. She headed back for her room, awaiting the teachers punishment.

Hours passed by until she looked up from her book. Neither a sign of the teacher nor of her roommate. It took her some time until she forced herself to stand up and look for him. Actually it wasn't hard for her since she knew the places where he separated himself from the others. After walking to the first places she finally found him, lounging in a tree and examining the sea. Slowly she placed one hand on the bark of the tree.

"……..Smoker-kun….I…..I'm sorry okay?", Hina silently stammered. He didn't even react on her words. "…..do I really have to climb up there and pull your ass down?"

A silent growl answered her question when he shifted himself up and climbed down.

"…..you take my apology?", she silently asked. Smoker just nodded slightly when he took place on the grass. She looked down at him for some time before taking place beneath him.

"…….I don't know what exactly happened but…..if it can hurt you so bad it must be worse."

His eyes and the rather heavy breathing betrayed him. He always lived by the way that he, even against rules or others, just walked his way but always kept such a good condition that he could mentally and physically walk this way without regretting it. The last order broke it since he regretted a lot of it. Tears were the last thing both of them expected but the anger about his own failure was just too much he could bare. Carefully she placed one hand on his shoulder. Slowly she pulled him in her embrace, ignoring his hesitation. He needed some time until he could finally give in and lean against her. Tightly he grabbed the back of her jacket when he buried his face in her shoulder. The woman softly stroke over his back to keep him calm. She hasn't seen him hurt like this before and also she couldn't understand the reason behind it but still she stood close. The sun already disappeared, painting the sky red. A deep sigh escaped him when he finally relaxed slightly. Her hand softly took a hold of his chin and lifted his face up. "……come on. Stop pitying yourself. You know as much as I do that you did your best." "……which wasn't enough…." "…enough for you to survive when even your captain died…don't you think this is worth a lot?", she silently mumbled. "…….actually I……I'd miss you if you….well….you know?" "..Yeah, sure Hina….you'd miss to kick my lame butt huh?" For some time she just examined him before slowly getting closer and placing a soft kiss on the surprised cadets lips. For a short moment he tried to explain what happened but his mind couldn't, no matter how much it tried. When she finally realized what she just did she pushed herself up and tried to leave. Smoker held her back and pushed her against the tree. "…...stop playing this silly game only for cheering me up!", he growled slightly. "…I am NOT PLAYING ANY GAME!", she answered. Her eyes widened in shock when she placed her hand on her lips. He looked down at her in a mix of surprise and irritation. Just as if he'd proof her reaction he grabbed her hand and pulled it out of the way to place another kiss on her lips. It seemed like the last step that broke the ice since she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close while returning the kiss. Unexpected by him indeed but surely not unwanted. Her closeness let him nearly forget his pain but even without understanding her actions he enjoyed it. Slowly she let her hands slip down his shoulders and pulling his opened jacket off, revealing some of the covered bandages. Her kiss was far too distracting as if he would've noticed it. In a lack of air he broke the kiss and took a deep breath. It didn't take long though until he placed another soft row of them on her neck. In strain she pushed her fingernails slightly into his shoulders when she felt that. A silent growl escaped him but still he continued his little caressing play. With a quick move he opened the cloth around her neck and pulled her upper part of the uniform down until it totally slipped off her body. While undressing her upper body completely he placed one after another breath taking kiss on her skin. She took a hard grab in his hair, trying to hold back a silent moan. The cold breeze let her shiver slightly but every single contact with him seemed like hot wax, dripping on her body and slowly running over her skin. The more she felt the more she seemed to fight against it. The bandages on his back already got ripped quite bad by her nails. Still the hesitation didn't seem to be enough to set an end to the, nearly wicked, game they played. Like evading she pressed her body against his when she felt his hands messing around with her pants. It didn't really seem like a try to flee from the situation. More like making it really hard to conquer her. Just when her pants hit the ground she let go of his back with one hand took a hold of his belt. She tried to keep him on distance but all she earned was a hard grip on her shoulder. Her nails went over his pants, still holding the belt while the others again dug deep into his back. The blood was held back by the last bandages though. When her struggling seemed to get even heavier he bit her neck with a dark growl. Surprised by that she let her free hand that held his belt wander back up with such an intensity that she even torn his belt and caused him some deep wounds on the lower back. A painful groan escaped his throat but still he kept the bite. Without the holding belt it was only a matter of time and action until it slipped down far enough. While pulling her into another breath taking kiss he grabbed her legs and wrapped them around his waist, letting her no way of resisting anymore.

She moaned loudly in the kiss when he finally forced his way inside. A stinging pain ran through her body but the full feeling was too beautiful too just back away cause of that.

Already heavy panting he broke the kiss. Even now she didn't seem to give in that easily. Defending by drawing deep cuts over his back and trying to get her pelvic out of his grip she had to gather all the control that she could get. Though all she caused was a deep mark by his rather hard grip. With every single push her back grinded over the bark. In a combination of pain and pleasure she closed her eyes and placed her forehead on his shoulder. Her chest moved heavily while her breath ran over his sweat drunken skin, only animating him to set even more closeness and intensity in his actions. She only supported that by holding him close with her legs. It more seemed like a fight than a charming union. Love was definitely a battlefield if you consider them as those so called lovers. As soon as she noticed a moment of distraction by him she pushed herself away from the tree and cause both to trip and land in the grass. The slightly painful growl by him got silenced by another kiss of her. Now on top, she bit his throat and took over the leadership of their game. The silent moan of his died in her bite that was closing slightly around his neck. It took her quite a lot of power to hold him down on his shoulders but the surprise and the fact that his condition was worse than hers made it easier. Step by step she let herself sink harder on him, causing him and her even more pleasure. With a deep moan he closed his eyes while trying to at least get free of her bite. He bit on his lip, trying to relax as good as possible but no chance. Under a slight growl he pushed himself up and her on her back. The grass burned slightly in her wounds but the distraction caused by him was far bigger than that.

Slowly she gave fully into that feeling, taking a tight hold in his hair and shoulders. Sharply she pulled the air in when he caressed her breast with his lips shortly before biting her nipple. Her nails again dug into his skin like searching for grip. It only was a matter of time until she couldn't resist anymore. With the last hard pushes he brought her to their climax. Hardly getting any air he placed his head again on her shoulder, trying hard to hold himself up above her. Noticing this she softly pulled him down so he could rest. Knowing of his weight he shifted slightly aside and rested by her side, holding her close in a soft embrace. Unexpected she rolled onto her side and cuddled slightly into his embrace, still heavy breathing. He grabbed his jacket and placed it around her body so the breeze wouldn't affect her too much.

It took her some time until she could finally catch her breath again. The first time since ages she didn't care about anything else than enjoying this short moment.

Carefully she caressed the skin around some deep scratch marks until she tickled out a silent purr of him. His eyes clearly showed how exhausted he was but still he tried to at least stay awake. She knew that they'd risk far too much if they stood outside now but the situation was far too comfortable to stand up. By closing her eyes she rested her head on his chest while telling herself that they will surely get up in some minutes after resting and leaving so there'd be a smooth end to this. Even while nearly asleep that words echoed in her head but unfortunately that was all that was left.

**Author's Note:**

Just a ratehr quick something I dreamed and worked out for a good friend winks


End file.
